March 05, 2007

Metropolitan Diary

Setting: A restaurant in downtown Manhattan.

Dramatis Personae: Twelve parents, all with children under the age of 3.

As the delirium of a rare child-free evening is coupled with copious amounts of beer and sake, one of the aforementioned diners subconsciously begins humming the song "Elmo's World" underneath his breath. Soon, the entire table is loudly singing along like a bunch of inebriated Christmas carolers. Shortly thereafter, the group is raucously singing the theme song to "Wonder Pets." John Mayer and Jessica Simpson are sitting nearby and abruptly leave, apparently disgusted by the lack of hipness being displayed at the adjoining table.

We’re not too bigAnd we’re not too strongBut when we work togetherWe’ve got the right stuff

What's gonna work?Teamwork!

For our next gathering, we plan on singing the theme song to "Bear in the Big Blue House" and "Dora the Explorer." If things get really crazy, we might even do the dance-floor version of "Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes (Knees & Toes!)

Hipster parents, indeed!

On a side note...remember when you were younger and you couldn't get that stupid song out of your head? Maybe it was Hansen's "MmmBop" or "Macarena?" Hell, I remember one time where I almost started hitting my head with a fucking hammer because I couldn't get "I'm a barbie girl, in a barbie woooorrrrllld!" out of my head. Anyway, is it me or are those annoying songs that fill your head now all mostly kid's songs?

Because right now, the only music in my head is that duet by Bert & Ernie, "What's the Name of That Song?" All day long, I'm singing, "La di da di da, La di da di da."

I'm with you, MD. I often get the kids' songs stuck in my head. For weeks, every time I got in my car, I'd be singing, "The Wheels on the Bus." Right now, I can't escape that annoying James Blunt song "You're Beautiful." I swear they have that thing on a loop at Starbucks.

I wrote a while back about the damn Higglytown Heroes song - as much as I used to like them, I really want to kill They Might Be Giants - I mean a really slow, painful death. Actually, maybe we'll fight to the pain.

I want to hurt the Imagination Movers from Disney Channel. Hurt BAD. Higglytown Hero's theme song is next on the hit list. (thankfully I still love TMBG). Strangely enough, I really like "What's the name of that song?"

I still find it amazing that John Mayer is dating Jessica Simpson. While I'm not a huge fan of his music, he always struck me as a very cerebral and intelligent guy. And now he's with Miss Chicken of the Sea?

Do you all go to the music classes with your little ones? Where they give you two copies of the cd containing the WONDERFUL music you get to sing with your child at music class each week? In the northwest they call it music together. And I do, seriously, want to kill them.

On a sesame street note, my spouse can't get the freaking p is my favorite letter song out of his head for like a week now. It's awesome.

Oh my gosh. The worst was Count Dracula's "Batty-Batty-Bat" song. I never made it to the fast forward button on the clicker quick enough and it tooks DAYS to get that damn song out of my head. Crap...it's starting again just thinking about it...

and i *LOVE* to wake my kids up with a karaoke version of "i like to move it" from madagascar except i change the words to "i like to school it" . . . singing it out loud as LOUDLY as i can belt it with the iPod on is really the best way.

So I'm not the only one? If my family had been there, we SOOOOO would have joined you. Good for you for singing in public — a great joy of life. :)

It is a classroom-pet opera around here most days. I feel proud that music is so important to us that we sing and listen to it quite often.

Everything from Laurie Berkner to the Wiggles to Dan Zanes plays in my head. When I listen to my own iTunes after the Pumpkin's in bed, it's a shock to my system. Though our little guy really does like Bowie, Blondie and "Girl from Ipanema" by Jobim.

I opened these comments knowing what to expect but I did it anyway. And now I'm singing Higglytown Heroes. But I've a got a personal fix for this...whenever a song is stuck in my head I replace it with another repetitive song that I don't mind so much...for me it's Girl from Ipanema.

Ralph's World "Mighty Worm" is the worst earworm I've experienced to date.

FYI- Before anyone applies to work at Gymboree (side note- the discount is awesome)be aware that you will be listening to all the glorious songs you all have mentioned,for the extent of your shift. I thought I was escaping Elmo's fucking voice by returning to work. Sadly, I was mistaken.

Thank goodness dd also is loving "Ziggy Stardust," "Fat Lip," "Heart Full of Black," and "Hey You!" (thanks to BikeBoy and I playing Guitar Hero on PS2!!). Of course, we change the lyrics in Hey You where it says "why do you wanna die?" to "why do you wanna hug"...too disturbing for a 4yo!

I'd rather have "I'm a Barbie girl" in my head right now than frickin' DORA! The Hubby and I have heard all the songs on the two Dora CD's that we own about fifteen hundred times too many. Help, indeed!

So does Jessica Simpson really have big ears? That's what I want to know. Or have I been misinformed?
My eldest son is currently driving me mad with Queen's "We Are the Champions" which is a hard one to rid your head of. And it's all my fault as I gave it to him, albeit with the words: this is how much I love you - I'm giving you the song that I hate most in the world but as you like it, it's now yours (but close your bedroom door when you're playing it).

As the kids get older, the songs change but the mind-numbing repetition remains. What is it about kids and their need to hear the same song OVER AND OVER?

Lately around here it's been 'White & Nerdy' by Weird Al (they roll their eyes at the original 'Ridin' by Chamillionaire.) Oh, and Kira just learned to play Iron Man by Black Sabbath on the guitar, so we hear that ALL DAY LONG.

Everyone needs to watch "Jack's Big Music Show" on Noggin. It has some really great kids music that doesn't grate on your last nerve and it features a diversity of music styles which will get your little one dancing! I am an adult Laurie Berkner fan!